King Mohammed receives Spanish premier
Morocco-Spain, Politics, 8/17/1999

King Mohammed VI, accompanied by his brother Prince Moulay Rachid, received here on Monday afternoon Spanish premier, Jose Maria Aznar.

At the end of a brief visit to Morocco on Monday, Aznar said at a press conference that King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan people can count on the friendship and cooperation of Spain. The Spanish premier said he reviewed with the Moroccan king several issues of common concern.

He also paid tribute to the late King Hassan II for his actions to promote Moroccan-Spanish relations and expressed wishes of success to King Mohammed VI and of progress to the Moroccan people.

Aznar pointed out that his meeting with King Mohammed VI was the first between the new Moroccan monarch and a European head of government, as a sign of the importance of relations between the two countries. He also recalled that his first visit abroad after he was elected was to Morocco.

He voiced his country's readiness to support and collaborate with Morocco in this new stage hoping that bilateral relations will be mutually beneficial and profitable.

After he discarded the issues of Sebta and Melilia (two Moroccan northern towns still under Spanish rule) as not one of the topics that should be tackled at this moment, Aznar stressed that he agreed with the Moroccan king to define concrete actions to develop economic and financial cooperation.

Regarding the issue of Morocco's plans not to renew the fisheries agreement with the European Union after it expires end of this year, the head of the Spanish government hoped that both countries will speed up negotiations as of next September 15.

For Aznar, all aspects of financial and economic cooperation are satisfactory as evidenced by the success of an operation to swap Moroccan debts owed to Spain into investments and the presence of some 800 Spanish enterprises in Morocco.

Previous Stories:
  Moroccan public closely follows situation in Sebta and Mellilia, Youssoufi says   (8/16/1999)
  Spain refuses Moroccan request over Sebta Mellila   (8/16/1999)
  Spanish political parties, NGOs hold anti-racist rally after events against Moroccans   (7/23/1999)
  Morocco-EU fisheries accord will not be renewed, minister   (7/23/1999)

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